Pasma slams Ford attack on English and francophone school trustee associations

OTTAWA – Ontario NDP Shadow Minister of Education MPP Chandra Pasma (Ottawa West – Nepean) released the following statement after Ford’s Minister of Education moved to eliminate funding for trustee association memberships and participation in professional development for both English and French-language school boards across Ontario:

“The Minister of Education isn’t just attacking English-language trustee associations,” said MPP Pasma, “He’s going after francophone associations too, and francophone communities across Ontario have every reason to be outraged. Franco-Ontarians have the right to manage their own education system, by and for francophones. Now the Minister is making a unilateral decision to deprive francophone trustees of support and professional development.

"Across school boards, these organizations provide critical training, advocacy, and shared purchasing power that save school boards money. Trustees testified in committee that these organizations save school boards $4 for every $1 in membership fees. This has nothing to do with accountability, good governance, or saving money. It’s a vindictive attack on public education, local democracy, and the voices of francophone and English-language school communities alike.”